The Bounty
by Mu Tryles
Summary: The First Order Command Ship Razor's Kiss has been sent on a search and rescue mission to find the Master of Ren in the aftermath of the destruction of Starkiller Base. Meanwhile Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker has been sent with his Jedi Master Tor Lahim by the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker on a Jedi search mission to the desert planet of Jakku. Legend vs Disney EU.
1. Chapter 1 Tahiri Veila

**Chapter I Tahiri Veila**

Tahiri Veila sat in a booth in the Blue Nexu cantina, and started watching the only exit slash entrance. Two hours and a string of correlian spiced whiskeys later, her latest quarry came in.

A big male Klatooinian sat in front of a young brunette human woman in an adjacent booth and put a brown bag on the table. Tahiri listened in on their conversation.

"Gahk." The women started the conversation.

"It's all there, Lees. Now, tell me where she is!"

Lees grabbed the brown bag and emptied its content. Various scripts fell out until the entire table was covered in credits. The woman started counting them individually, while Gahk and various other patrons of the cantina looked on, incredulous.

"I can assure you it's all there." Gahk said. Lees stopped counting, put up her right index finger for a moment, and started counting again.

After what felt like forever, Lees said, "541 duggats, 1 million creds, 6 aurodiums, and 10 thousand wupiupi. Lees stopped counting, and said, you are short 1 duggat."

Gahk muttered and put his hand in his pocket and dropped another coin on the table.

Lees accepted the script and said to the Klatooinian, "Your daughter is being held in a compound, address 171 Korossian Road, 192 district. Now, if you'll excuse me." the brunette stood up.

Tahiri also stood up. Lees Cazedio, Gahk, you are coming with me!"

Lees promptly put her hands into a pocket on her red business suit, when they reappeared there was a slug thrower in them. After a deafening sound, Gahk the Klatooinian's head was on the table, his mouth in an o shape, as if trying to eat a few galactic credits. His body didn't move.

Lees ran.

Tahiri didn't believe Lees Cazedio, embezzler, kidnapper, and assassin, would actually kidnap her own partner's kid, and end up killing him. She held out her hand, there was a grunt outside the cantina.

When Tahiri walked out of the cantina on her bare feet, she found Lees unconscious in the sand, a red round shape in the center of her forehead. A steel pipe was lying on the ground. Tahiri kicked the women on her side, breaking a couple of ribs. Lees screamed before passing out again.

Inside the Cantina, Gahk's body was still frozen on the table in his booth. All of the creds were gone though, and the patrons pretended to not know where they went, and Tahiri pretended to believe them. Sighing, she used the Force to lift the heavy Klatooinian outside, and laid the body beside the living human.

"I'm here to collect on Lees Cazedio and Gahk's bounty." Tahiri told the twilek behind the counter.

"5000 galactic credit. The twilek pushed a few buttons on his terminal, and Tahiri saw the same amount on her handheld. "The bounty was 15000!"

"5000 for the human. 10000 for the Klatooinian. He's dead. 5000 only."

"Mhhh" Grunted Lees, standing behind Tahiri, bound, her mouth frozen shut by the Force.

"The bounty said dead or alive, so 15000." Tahiri said.

"Read the fine print." Dead or alive in the case of this bounty actually have some conditions. Paragraph 14 dash 8. subsentence 9 "in the event of death, body of Gahk must not have any exterior wound." the twilek pointed to the corpse, "there is a big hole where his throat is supposed ta-"

The twilek's throat contracted, and Tahiri had to stop herself. The Dark Side again, easily they flow... Tahiri breathed, calm. More grunts, and the former Jedi didn't know if it was her or the bound woman behind her.

"Here you go," Tahiri sighed, handing over the woman. Lees gasped for breath, then screamed, "NO! Please don't! You don't understand!. NO!" The twilek pushed a few more buttons and two B2 super battle droids came out of doors, each holding one of Lees' hands.

"Nice doing business with you." The Twilek said, "Here, I had no choice regarding the dead Klatooine, but here is another opportunity for you." A new bounty came up in Tahiri Veila's handheld. "It just came in."

Seven Million Trugut.

Wanted Dead.

Ben Skywalker.

Jedi

Considered Dangerous.

Proof Of Death needed.

Please send body to First Order

545knights4545ofzzjdfRenlkdjf

Good Luck.

Tahiri looked her handheld for sometime.

"Just a second ma'am." The twilek said to Tahiri. "I just got another one, I might as well give the info to you now. Let's see. Ah yes." He pushed a few more buttons. Tahiri's handheld emitted loud sounds, indicating multiple attempts at connection. The twilek continued to mumble to himself "I believe... yes. NOW!" A protection field formed itself between Tahiri and the twilek. five more B2 droids came out of doors, each holding either a correlian blaster or a slug thrower, and all of them pointed toward Tahiri. The two droids holding Lees let her go, and started toward Tahiri instead, their bare hands held outward, the center of which lit up red.

Tahiri unhooked her lightsaber from her belt and activated it. Just as she did so, something else rolled into the room. An Old Republic era droideka activated its shield and its blaster started flashing, in seconds it was all Tahiri could do to deflect its attack.

I'm going to regret this. Thought Tahiri. She let anger and fear flow through herself and a B2 droid, closeset to Lees exploded. The slug thrower it held landed neatly in Lees hand. Lees started shooting.

Two minutes after the initial attack, only one B2 droid remained, however, the droideka was still active, rolling all over the place, attacking. Lees moaned on the floor, bleeding from a hole where Tahiri kicked her before.

Tahiri, still using her anger, started to choke the twilek. Even as the former Jedi felt the last breath leaving the twilek, The droideka continued to blast. One of its blast went through Tahiri's defenses.


	2. Chapter 2 Ben Skywalker

Chapter II Ben Skywalker

The gigantic enemy ship dropped out of hyperspace and immediately fired a let loose a broadside of laser fire. Ben Skywalker was on the bridge of Sliding Panda when the main power went offline.

"Master Lahim!" Ben Skywalker called out, "are you all right?" Ben knew the Jedi master was in the sleeping quarters, but he could not raise him on the comms. Everything is black. Ben tried again.

No response.

Ben tried to remember the steps to cut into auxiliary power in case of engine failure. Step One the red button. Two, find key put into slot that says power line one, turn counterclockwise five times. Three...The Panda shook violently. The gravity went out.

Ben used the Force to hold his feet on what he thought of as the ground. The key floated past his vision.

What was supposed to be a simple sightseeing and discovery mission was quickly turning out to be a nightmare. After reports of a possible Jedi sighting on Jakku, his father sent Master Lahim, a newly minted Jedi Master on a reconnaisance mission. His father the Grand Master must have sensed Ben was still occasionally feeling melancholy over his mother, felt it was a good idea to send Ben away from the temple on Coruscant.

Ben met Tor Lahim on landing pad 14 at 0600 Galactic Standard Time and left Coruscant 15 minutes later. Two days later they were just orbiting Jakku and haven't even landed before being attacked.

By a kriffing dreadnought. Ben had never seen such a monstrosity. Only in auntie Winter's old stories had such a huge monster appeared. But it was no legend firing on them, it was the real thing. And it just fired a broadside. The bridge of the Sliding Panda spun in front of Ben's eyes.

He had to get to the engine room for the final step. Ben, with the help of the Force walked slowly as debris flowed past. He was just steps away from the engine room door when he heard the lightsaber. He dodged and watched as a line of red flashed past. Tresses of red string started blinding Ben before he figured out it was his own hair. The lightsaber hummed. Getting louder by the second.

"Down!" a deep voice was in Ben's ears. He obeyed instantly as the sound of lightsabers striking eachother reverberated in the corridor. Ben crawled forward toward Master Lahim and standing up only after hearing a huge crash.

The engine room door was just gone. In its place was shreds and bits of durasteel. Bits of what must have been the door only a few seconds earlier flew everywhere. In the center of the maelstrom, a black shadow launched itself at Ben. A tip of Red was at its head. The lightsaber at Ben's side flew from his belt and activated with a snap hiss, and only the speed of which it did saved Ben from being becoming a human pincushion.

Ben blinked, In front of him stood a thin figure all in black, taller than him by an razor's edge. In the right hand was a light shoto, he didn't have a left hand, instead it was a hook. As Ben tensed for battle, the figure advanced, the shoto's humming was deafening, and the enemy's hook was moving in such a way as if painting a picture. Ben developed a migraine looking at it.

With a shriek the figure started trying to poke Ben's abdomen with the shoto. He dodged like an eel and the enemy missed by microns and the shoto cut into the bulkhead.

Ben heard a grunt nearby. Lahim was fighting his own battle with a bald woman, also clad in black. Neither Lahim nor the woman had the advantage.

While Ben was thinking about Lahim's situation, Shoto man's hook grazed into Ben's shoulder. The enemy grunted with effort as he tried to cut a piece of flesh from Ben's body. Ben headbutted the shoto man, which appeared to daze him. In any case he was five feet from Ben now, having been Force pushed. Shoto man limped slowly toward the engine room, his mask lay askew, and Ben's saw for the first time that shoto man was actually a girl, auburn tresses escaping from the side of her grotesque facade.

Ben gasped with effort for more oxygen. Tor Lahim's fight with the bald woman seem to also have ended. Turning to look at Master Lahim, Ben noticed a bald head, decapitated by the Master's feet.

Lahim was standing near the wall in the crossidor, his magnetic boots powered on. He gestured toward the engine room with his yellow lightsaber, "our friend is still in there."

The Jedi advanced into the engine room. Sitting by on the far side with a her right leg stretched and left side in a parody of Jedi meditation position, was shoto girl. She had taken the mask off entirely, it laid on her chest, which moved quickly up and down with each of shoto girl's shallow breaths. Ben closed the distance and took the helmet off the body. Shoto girl resisted, her hook moved toward Ben, who held her helmet. But before she could reach the helmet she moaned and her eyes shut themselves. They didn't open again. Kriff.

"What do we do?" Ben asked Master Lahim.

"What we must, even though she's obviously a Sith, we Jedi cannot leave her to die. Killing the unarmed is not our way."

"But Master!" Ben protested. "She almost killed me!"

"It is your anger talking." Lahim said, "Ask yourself what the Grand Master would do."

"He would help her."

Yes, We must do what we can, little enough that it may be." Lahim said, pointing to a utility box, "strap her down while I get the auxiliary power online."

While Ben worked on the unconscious girl, Master Lahim managed to get the auxiliary power up online, an orange tinted light filled the room, the gravity returned.

"The shooting seem to have stopped. Let's go to the bri". Lahim said. He was interrupted by a gruff male voice. It was in Bocce.

"[We know you are in there. You are outnumbered and surrounded. Just surrender and make it easier for everyone]."

"Who are you?" Ben replied in Basic.

"[Dead or alive you are going to make us rich!]"

In response three thermal detonator rolled into the room. Or tried to. They reversed course as soon as they came into the engine room. Seconds later explosions were heard. There were no time to celebrate however, as a large irregular hole was sucking air and anything near. Screams were momentarily heard, then silence.

A force field must have held, or I would be dead, Ben thought.

The ship rocked again, and again, and again.

The floor bucked and an entire boulder came off. The straps came off violently as the unconscious intruder was throne into the air and began to float away. Ben used the Force to lift her toward him and then held her with his hands.

"Ben?"

"Master Lahim?"

"We are going to crash. Hold on, Kid, hold on!"


	3. Chapter 3 Snoke

**Chapter III Snoke**

Snoke sat on his throne and adjusted the holo projector to make sure he had the optimal resolution.

"Repor—Who the hell are you?! Where is your master?"

"Forgive me, Supreme Leader, but we cannot find Master Ren. He is missing. His last communication was made on the Razor's Kiss" a knight of Ren knelt before Snoke.

FIND HIM!" Snoke said. The knight flew away on the holoprojector, the same time the connection was lost.

Veins bulging from the anger, Snoke adjusted his mask, and faced the holoprojector once more.

"Admiral Hazani." The hologram of a thin woman in white uniform appeared and saluted Snoke.

"What news, admiral? Snoke asked.

"We have lost almost all of our ground forces on Starkiller base, Supreme Leader. We were able to find Captain Phasma. She survived in a tra- well, she lost her left eye, Supreme Leader." Hazani said.

"Hm..."Snoke said displeased, "Continue with your report. I sense you have something else to tell me."

"Well, Supreme leader, the thing is", Hazani gulped, "since you felt the disturbance, and diverted the Razor's Kiss to Starkiller base along with the Hamm. Supreme Leader, only the carrier made arrived at the ruin of the Starkiller base. We have a command ship missing."

"I see." Snoke almost choked, "How did this happen?"

"We don't know, Supreme Leader. The last time we had contact was right before it left dock with those bounty hunter scums on board."

"And any update on our bounty hunter friends?" Snoke continued.

"We found the remains of an escape pod drifting near the star system where the Starkiller base was located, but the log box is completely missing, and we found a man in a coma inside. He had an ID that identified him as Cad Bane, bounty hunter. How and why he was on the pod is unknown at this time. According to our record Bane was not a part of the bounty hunter contingency on the Razor's Kiss."

"Continue, Admiral" Snoke said.

"He is currently being held in the Kapazil Nine prison hospital, being taken care of with our special mothod."

"Hm."

On another matter, Supreme Leader, we have found another five potentials across the galaxy, supreme leader. Only one of them refused to join us. She died running like a coward, supreme leader."

"Hm. Bring the new recruits to me personally admiral. I look forward to start their training."

"Yes. Supreme Leader."

"Another thing, FIND that command ship Admiral. For your sake I hope you find it soon."

"I understand, Supreme Leader."

"Don't fail me again."

"Supreme Leader."

Snoke closed the connection. Another connection came. He would need to adjust his mask again, it's mighty irritating his skin. Snoke adjusted the projector again, and the connection was in the green.

Instead of a knight of Ren, it was an officer in the depot department this time.

"Your Eminence, It is an honor. How may we at the Kapazil 9 Special division be of service to you today?"

"You have a patient from the escape pod" Snoke looking at the man in the holoprojector. Prisoner A713B?

"We do," The officer said. "A Cad Bane."

"Where is he now?" Snoke asked.

"One moment, Supreme Leader." The officer raised his head, "He was executed by blaster squad, per your order, Your Eminence,"

"What do you mean executed?! I GAVE NO SUCH ORDER!"

"But Your Eminence, I have the order right here. It says to execute prisoner A713B without delay, at first priority. It bears your personal seal. Here, Your Eminence."

"You fool." Snoke glanced at the terminal in front of him. "It's obviously a forgery!"

But it was indeed his personal seal, the genuine article. Something is definitely amiss. Could the resistance have infiltrated the Front Order?

"What is your name, Officer?"

Officer Khai. Deputy warden here at Kapazil 9, Supreme Leader.

Any relation to Lahka Khai, Knight of Ren?

"My wife, your Emienence, yes indeed, she serves as a knight of Ren on the Razor's kiss." The officer continued, we are expecting our first d-"

Snoke had already closed the connection. He opened another.

"Fett."

"Who are you supposed to be today?" The man in the mandalorian armor asked.

"This is Supreme Leader Snoke," Snoke said, "Show some respect, bounty hunter."

"I need you to go to the Kapazil system. Your usual rate, of course."

"Of course."

Snoke took off his mask. Without the irritant he could finally he go to sleep.

But who killed Bane, and why? And where is Ben Solo? Was he on the Razor's Kiss? Did the command ship pick him up before disappering? How is everything connected?


	4. Chapter 4 Tahiri Veila

Reply for review

No, the pairing is not accidental. Although it's more friendship or platonic love rather than the other kind, at least for this fanfic.

Tahiri is not swimming in pain because it's set in around 42 ABY. Pain doesn't bother her at all, but for this fanfic she's not going to go out of her way to hurt herself.

Also apologize for not update earlier.

 **Chapter IV Tahiri Veila**

There was pain where the blaster bolt hit Tahiri. The droideka advanced quickly, pressing its advantage. Moving like a lightning speed pillbug, it's dual arms pumped with green bolts of death toward her. Tahiri's arms moved faster than she thought possible to deflect them. The Force flowed through her, yet she was calm. She hasn't felt calm like this in a long time.

Suddenly a strings of sonic booms sounded near the building. The heat was overwhelming, everyone and everything was either off the ground or on its way to the ceiling.

The whole building shook. It's no earthquake, but it feels like it's happening right now on Jakku. Tahiri was actually grateful. Giant boulders came crashing down on the droideka. The droideka dodged the biggest boulder, but it was right on top of Tahiri now.

The two weapons arms were still puming none stop, but no blaster bolt came out of them. Moments later anothe part of the building crashed toward them. Tahiri used Force push to move it tactically. It succeeded in taking the droideka's eyes clean off as well as part of it's head. The projectile went on its way to crush the dead twilek's corpse.

Blind, the droideka rolled away.

Tahiri was able to open her left eye, but her right stubbornly refused to move. The world swam, when it stablized, she realized a half of a dead roly poly droideka was holding her fast to the floor. They were the only thing keeping Tahiri alive. Gingerly crawling out from bottom of the giant dead droid, Tahiri stood up. It wasn't an earthquake, an entire side of the building was gone, in its place was the remains of a kind of pleasure yacht.

The entire scene in front of her was burning.

Her erstwhile Bounty was still on the floor, miraculously untouched by the crash, and the droideka battle that almost killed Tahiri. Lees wasn't moving. Probably dead.

Tahiri took stock. Her lightsaber was nowhere to be found. Her greenish bounty hunter attire was frayed in more of a couple of places. She was going to have to favour one legs for the time being, and her right hand throbbed. But she was otherwise unhurt. Honestly she enjoyed the experience. She hasn't felt such pain since before she became a bounty hunter. It was a feeling to be savoured. Or maybe it's the Dark Side talking, but Tahiri decided it was more likely the Vong inside her. She sighed, and walked

She found what was left of the main airlock. Actually where the main airlock was supposed to be, was just a giant, irregular shaped hole now. She entered the yacht.

The bridge was gone, twisted into something else. Someone was definitely inside when the whole thing decided to transform. She could tell by the ground meat still dripping red. She limped toward the sleeping quarters. Thankfully the walls there was still beige, lacking any sign of blood. Continuing her walk inside the crash, she reached what she thought of as the engine room. She felt the prescence before she saw him.

"Ben? Is that you?" Tahiri asked.

"Ta, Tah, Hiri?" A weak voice called. "We're here. Hurry".

This would be easier with a lightsaber, thought Tahiri as she moved the boulders. Even with the Force, it was almost an hour before she found a unconscious Master Tor Lahim. Blood covered his entire face, but he was still alive, despite double compound fracture on both of his legs . Tahiri found Ben hugging a black bundle, and only after removing the last of the rubble and helping Ben up did she realize the bundle was the of a girl. Tahiri felt annoyance creeping up on her, an uncomfortable feeling, and repressed it quickly.

Ben blinked his eyes quickly and said, "Tahiri," He smiled, "Help her." and he fell unconscious.

Tahiri stared at the unconscious girl, clad in a strange cut, all in black, with a cape.

She tried what Master Luke taught her almost a life time ago, on Yavin. She tried the technique for a long time, trying to let the Light Side of the Force flow through her.

Sometimes later, still performing the technique, Tahiri felt a weak prescence getting stronger, right below her. Then she experienced pain in her mouth. Then there was hot liquid on her cheek. She quickly stopped.

The auborn gortch bit her, bit the tip of Tahiri's tongue and the kriffing gortch spat it out, at her!

Tahiri would have screamed her head off if she wasn't part Vong. As it is, she still had to grimace at the uncomfortable feeling in her mouth. That'll be another 1 million datari gone. She tried to slap the gortch, but the girl had somehow came off the floor with such speed Tahiri never thought possible and slammed against the bulkhead. The auburn girl's head split with a unhuman sound. Pinkish brain matter spilled from the nostrils, and ears and mixed with reddish strands.

The girl girl's right eye was closed, her left half open. In a perverse way the girl looked peaceful and full of hatred at the same time.


	5. Chapter 5 Ben Skywalker

Chapter V Ben Skywalker

Ben woke up cold. The ship around him hummed. An incessant beeping rang in his ears. Turning in his bunk, he found he was sore all over, but especially his lower back. Using the Force, he alleviated the pain. Moments later, he was able to sit on the bunk. Slowly he opened his eyes. Both of his eyes.

He was wrapped in some kind of synthetic material, all black. Only when he unwrapped himself from it did Ben realize it was the cape from the Sliding Panda intruder, the girl with auburn hair, a shoto, and a hook.

"You're awake." A female voice said. Turning his head, Ben saw a welcome face, Tahiri Veila was standing by the door.

"Tahiri! Am I glad to see you! How did you get here? What happened?" Ben asked.

"What do you remember?" Tahiri asked.

Sliding Panda. Master Lahim, Jakku, dreadnought, possible..." Ben muttered, trying to stand up. "The girl."

"I need you to stay calm Ben. This will be difficult," Tahiri supported Ben. Close by, she smelled of beaches and sunrises, "Your ship crashed on Jakku, Ben. You just got out of the bacta."

"Master Lahim?"

Lahim is okay, he's still in the medbay. What girl?"

"We were attacked. I don't remember much, maybe an executor stardestroyer?" Ben said, "Came out of nowhere, started shooting. We were also boarded."

"Boarded?" 

Ben held up the black cape. "two women, a bald woman and a tall girl, or was it the other way around? Tall woman and bald girl? They boarded the Panda, almost decapitated me. Master Lahim and I fought them near the engine room, he saved my life. Where is she? She was in my- I was hu- I mean," Ben blushed.

"I'll come back later," Tahiri said, "You need more rest."

"What about my ship, the Sliding Panda? I need to know."

"I'm sorry, it's all scrap now. Most of it was taken by the sand by the time I got you two out. I never found anyone else on board." Tahiri said, already turning away.

Before Ben could form another coherent thought, he was drifting away.

It must have been later, because the ship's light was dimmed now, but Ben felt a bit better and was able to get of the bunk.

Ben tried and limped out of what he saw now was a spacious sleeping quarters on an unknown ship. The ground was pure sand. He found Tahiri reading her handheld in what a big space in the center of the ship, it must be the lounge. He asked the blonde, "What ship is this? Did you sign it out of the Jedi vehicle pool? I never seen it before."

Tahiri sighed.

"Welcome to the Sandcrawler. I know you did exactly think bounty hunting is a good option for me, but I had enough meditation. You are going to tell on me."

"I'll think about it later. Right now I'm just glad to see you." Ben said.

"And I'm glad to see you, Ben." Tahiri smiled, although it turned into a grimace in seconds, "Although I had hoped to see you under better circumstances."

"Well yes. Tahiri." Ben said, "How did you find us?"

"I was on a," Tahiri said, "job." Turning, she continued, "I was on Jakku, handing over my bounty and collecting payment when the Bear crashed into the building."

"Wow." Ben said. "I need to see Master Lahim."

"He's still in the bacta," Tahiri said, "we'll be able to visit him in several hours. First tell me more about this intruder on your ship. Let's go to the galley. It's right down the corridor here."

Ben shifted his balance and walked down the corridor until He and Tahiri sat in a kitchen table. Tahiri poured him a hot chocolate and an unknown drink for herself.

Tahiri's drink smelled strongly of alcohol. Ben sipped his own drink. It filled his stomach with warmth, and he relaxed.

After a few moment of comfortable silence, Tahiri put something on the table. It was her handheld, its screen cracked into a arachnid web. The memo on it was still distinguishable. Ben looked at it.

"You planning to collect on this bounty?" Ben asked.

"No." Tahiri said. Before Ben could blink there was a blaster in Tahiri's hand. She squeezed the trigger. Ben closed his eyes.

Ben heard a thump behind him. He opened his eyes, and turned. Tahiri was kneeling down over a body. It was a young brunette woman, looking slightly older than the Sliding Panda boarder. By her open hand laid a long sharp dagger.

"Lees, you sleemo!" Tahiri yelled. "Bantha Poodoo!" Pulling a stun cuff, the blonde put it on the would be attacker. "I'll be back in a moment, Ben."

"Who is that?" Ben asked.

"I'll be back to explain," Carrying the unconscious Lees, Tahiri went down the corridor in a different direction than the sleeping quarters.

After ten minutes Tahiri returned. "Sorry about that, Ben. Just some garbage. We got more pressing matters, here take a look at the next one."

"Oh, it's you." Ben said, "Hey! How come you are worth more than me!"

"We need to find out who's behind this. All we know right now is it's something called the First Order. And the Knights of Ren?"

"Never heard of either. Maybe the girl who boarded the Slidng Panda can tell us more." Ben said, "She was wearing the cape I was wrapped in. We need to find her. I don't get it, she was hurt bad, there is no way she could have gone anywhere on her own."

"When I found you and Lahim, you were in shock. There was no one else. Just the cape." Tahiri said.

"She must be somewhere, we must find her," Ben said, "She can't have gone too far. We have to go back to Jakku."

"She must have escaped, on her own or had help, it doesn't matter" Tahiri turned her face. "Come on, we cannot be the only ones they are after. We have to tell the Jedi Order. We'll be at Coruscant soon. I'll take us out of hyperspace. Finish your drink."

"But, my father, we need to tell him as well. And he's expecting the Panda on Jakku orbit."

Tahiri was already gone.

Ben felt the ship come out of hyperspace. The ship shook violently.

"Not again!" Ben said.


	6. Chapter 6 Eline Stocker

Chapter VI Eline Stocker

"This is not a drill! Guard Squadrons to the fighters. All Guard Squadrons members to their fighters!" Lt. Stocker yelled into the microphone, "This is not a drill!"

The Klaxon rang everywhere. "Scramble All fighters!"

Serrax, a junior officer, signalled Stocker, "What about the traffic control fleet?"

Do they have a blaster or a ion canon mounted on them? Stocker asked.

"Not all of them sir, the latest order didn't go through yet, it's scheduled Tuesday."

"If they can reach space and can fire something, I want it flying. May the Force be way us." Stocker said.

The monstrosity that rightly belonged in a museum must have laid another series of eggs. Bright blue light lit up the Coruscant night sky. The planetary shield held on. Just as Stocker thought of how things can't get worse, the super stardestroyer launched another squadron of some kind of new TIE design.

"Blast!" Stocker yelled, "Where is our Capital Ships? Our nearest Star Destroyer?"

"Chief of State Daala took the majority of the Coruscant fleet to a galaxy wide tour, sir. They are not schedule to be back yet. The Teller and the Firebear was supposed to patrol the planetary space, but I can't reach them, sir. They also jammed our long range communications." Serrax said.

Where did that thing come from? A long, jagged triangle bringing death to the Galactic Federation capital. Any one of the ship of the line from the fleet would have taken care of the situation, stopped the bombing, but they were all unavailable. The planetary defense platforms were the first thing destroyed by the Executor class Super Star Destroyer. The poor men and women didn't get a chance to raise their shields. They never had a chance.

Say what you will about Jacen Solo's administration, but he would never have allowed this to happen. Thought Stocker.

"Something is coming out of hyperspace." Serrax said.

Please be our fleet returning, please be our fleet returning. Please be- Stocker thought to herself.

"It's just a small attack boat." the disappointment could be heard from Serrax's voice. "It's registered as the Sandcrawler out of Jakku. It's requesting emergency landing permission."

"Grant it."

"Sir."

"[It's under attack by a couple of what looks like some kind of enemy fighters]." Mort said.

"There's nothing we can do for them." Jysella, the youngest of Stocker's colleagues, commented.

"[It's taking an attack vector against the super stardestroyer]." Mort said.

Looking at the scopes, Serrax said "The super stardestroyer just launched another wave of fighters. And it looks like they also started landing shuttles".

"They can't possibly be launching an invasion!" Stocker said, "unless that thing is a death star, there is no way an invasiion can be launched with only one capital ship!"

"It took a wallop. Sir!" Serrax said, "What are they doing? They are ramming the bridge. Sir! There is fire coming out of the super stardestroyer bridge! They are moving, sir. The superstar destroyer just jumped out of hyperspace. But it didn't recall any of its fighters. There's still a vicious dogfight in progress."

Some minutes or a lifetime later, there was no more green lasers. Victory, but at what cost?

"The Sandcrawler?" Stocker asked.

It's not coming up on any of our scopes. They must have been," Serax said, "destroyed."

Did Stocker hear sound of quiet crying?

"Guard Squadron status?" Stocker asked, sighing.

"They took some losses sir. Especially squad 4. The Guards are till in combat. There is still enemy fighters present. But they are outnumbered, it shouldn't take long."

"Losses?" Stocker said, "Be specific."

Serrax said, "Of the five Guard squadrons, Squad 1 suffered five casualties, four  
A wings destroyed. Squad 2 with 8 casualties, with all fighters destroyed. Squad 3 with 2 B wings destroyed, no casualties. Squad 4..."

"Squad 4?"

"None of them made it." Jysella said. "Nor Squad 5. They are all dead."

"It has to be imperials!" Serrax screamed. "They are the ones with the license on building dreadnoughts. That gortch Daala took the fleet away just so that dreadnought can attack!"

Serrax silently agreed.

"Come on kids, let's start helping with the relief effort. Let's act like we actually belong in a command center."

Knocks came from the door.

"It looks like we help another day." Serrax said, "The next shift is here."

The door slid open. "Hey, we got a messy situation here. Want us to help ou-" Jysella never got a chance to finish her sentence.

"[Hey! Errgh]." Mort slumped on his chair.

Five stormtroopers in strange new uniforms held their rifles high pointing at Stocker and Serrax.

"Resistance scum!" The storm trooper with a shoulder pad knocked Stocker down with his rifle butt, and then motioned, "Slowly, to the side."

"You didn't need to hurt my friends," Stocker crawled and huddled with Serrax, then held her hands to the back of her head, "We would have cooperated."

"Shut up!" the storm trooper leader said. He proceeded to shoot every single control panels in the command center. Soon the hum of the local shield generator died.

"General Hutei, you may start your landing in sector 513a by 787t." The stormtrooper talked into his microphone.

"General Hutei, come in." The storm trooper leader continued, "Razor's Kiss, come in!"

Serrax looked at the unmoving Jysella on the command center floor, and Mort slumped in his chair, his head on the terminal. Serrax exchanged glances with Stocker. The veteran of the recent civil war signalled back. Serrax blinked, closed his eyes for three seconds, opened them, and charged the stormtrooper closest to him.


	7. Chapter 7 Tahiri Veila

Chapter VII Tahiri Veila

Before the Sandcrawler died, It violently ejected a projectile. An irregular shaped projectile that drifted among the X-wings, A wings, and TIE fighters around them.

Inside the crowded escape pod, sat a man and a woman. Because of the lack of space, their bodies are inches away from eachother. Tahiri could feel Ben's rasping on her cheeks. Lees Cazedio was still unmoving, in the strapped down bundle on the floor between them. They stared at eachother.

"You left him." The sixteen year old broke the silence first, "How could you do that?"

Tahiri did not have words, but instead reached for the young man's right hand. He moved it and she stopped.

"I had no choice. Lahim stayed on the bridge and won't leave. Tahiri said, "There just wasn't time."

"He chose to sacrifice himself, "Tahiri paused. "It was him or you, Ben."

"It should be him sitting here, not me! Not ME. NOT ME! Why?"

Tahiri hugged the young man in front of her. Ben stiffened at her touch, but relaxed after half a minute, and buried his head into her shoulder. He shook.

"It's not your fault, Ben."

After a long time Ben detached himself from her and turned his body and looked into the small circular viewport and sighed, "I know. It's yours."

Ben turned his back on her.

"And you had enough time to save your bounty?" Ben pointed to the bag beween them, and said, "How much is she worth to you?"

She was already on the pod, Tahiri thought I stowed her here when she attacked you.

Tahiri didn't say anything but looked out of the escape pod.

Tahiri looked outside, the command ship that attacked them, twice now, went into hyperspace. Even so, she saw that the dogfight between fighters was still raging.

"Tahiri. I... just thank you... for saving me." Ben extending his hand. Tahiri took it.

"It's lucky you had the escape pod installed. The Sliding Bear didn't have them." Ben said.

"I found this pod when I took the ship from the Anakin," Tahiri said, "It must have been, his ship."

"That coward must have known before, facing Jaina, that he might fall. That hutt slime." Tahiri stopped talking.

Moments later, Ben turned and looked at her and said, "Tahiri, what's happening? Where did that ship come from? I thought all those dreadnought command ships were decomissioned, scrapped, and banned?"

"They were," Tahiri said. "Pellaeon decomissioned the last one, The White Saarlac Hunter. The old man made a huge deal too, invited everyone for the ceremony before the whole mess, before -" She stopped, and continued, "I can't make any sense out of it. I know Daala from way back before I was just a Jedi student on Yavin IV, and I know she's crazy, but this crazy? And where did she gets the approval, not to say the funding?"

"If she's behind this, we need to stop her." Ben said.

"If it is Daala." Tahiri said, "We don't know for sure." She mumbled, "I can't believe I'm defending her, but I just don't see her do something like bombing her own capital. All the attack will do is antagonize literally everyone."

"We need to contact my Dad," Ben said, "He'll know what's going on, and what to do."

"We will," Tahiri said, "but this escape pod doesn't have a communicator. We'll have to wait for rescue." Just as she said this sentence, she noticed pseudomotion all around her.

"The fleet." Ben said, "They returned."

Something bumped violently against the escape pod. "That's no laser blast, something hit us." Tahiri said.

"Something hit us all right." Ben said, pointing, "If I'm not mistaken, That's the TIE fighter that did it."

Drifting by was the remains of an TIE interceptor. A little later its pilot, helmetless, also drifted by. For an instant the pilot and Tahiri locked with those bulging, glassy eyes, and Tahiri could swear she saw him before. The pilot drifted away.

That sure looks like Ganner Rhysode, Tahiri thought, feeling sad.

I need to tell you something."

"You were wrong about me, Ben. Caedus... Jacen's claw is too deep. I still feel the call of the dark."

"I killed the intruder on the Bear. She was alive after the crash. Jedi don't kill without need. We could have figured out what's happening, but I gave in to the Dark Side. I'm so sorry."

Ben looked at Tahiri. She wasn't sure if it's anger or pity, or contempt. In the end he just said, "You'll be okay, Tahiri. I'll be here. The Jedi Order will always be there for you. It's just a set back. I'll always help you."

It wasn't any of those emotions she thought. Just empathy.

She handed Ben a rectangular chip. "I worked as a bounty hunter for these months. It's enough for a new ship. I'm sorry about the Panda."

"It's Master Lahim's ship," Ben smiled, "But thanks."

"I can't take the money. You worked so hard for those credits, and I know you only took the bounty of bad people," Ben said, "I won't take it."

"We'll just put it aside as my contribution to the Jedi fund this month." Tahiri pulled on her necklace, the beads came off the broken strands. She collected them, "If on your travels you come across a planet called Zonama Sekot, perhaps you could help me bury these on the planet.

After a few seconds, Both Tahiri and Ben noticed the hiss, while the alarm went off. "We are leaking air." Tahiri opened the emergency toolkit. "Try to use this synth skin to patch. Kriff!"

Minutes and futile repairs later, Tahiri said, "Ben, the air. It's not going to last.

"I'm going to try to go in a meditation trance to conserve the oxygen." Tahiri said, "But you should stay awake and alert."

She pointed to herself and the camouflage bag, "I lost my lightsaber on Jakku, but you still have yours, You know what must be done if the air threatens to run out?

Understanding dawned on Ben's face. He shook his head.

"It won't come to that."

"Just promise me you understand, it's important Ben. You have to live."

"You have Anakin's mouth, and I mean that literally," Tahiri smiled and used her right index finger and caressed the kid.

Ben's lips were microns away from hers now. Tahiri downed her head and turned, stopping herself. At the same time Ben turned so that his back was toward her.

"Stay awake." Tahiri told Ben. She then relaxed herself and

Tahiri gasped, or rasped for oxygen. Her chest burned. She was groggy and it was a moment later she realized the feeling of drifting in space was gone. Instead the pod must be on solid ground.

Tahiri felt less irritation before she realized where she was and with whom.

Klaxon warred with screams in her ears. Tahiri felt irritated before she realized where she was and with whom. At least they were still in the escape pod.

"AKE UP!" Someone slapped her violently.

Tahiri found Ben sprawled on the floor of the escape pod, but the kid's chest moved slowly up and down. He was still alive.

A Huge Hazel monster came into focus, and Tahiri blinked, the monster became a person. Lees Cazedio. She was holding Tahiri's lightsaber.

Lees Cazedio slapped her again. Tahiri tried to use the Force to push the hazel eyed brunette off of her, but there was no strength in her arms no matter how much she concentrated. Lees put her hands on Tahiri's mouth.

"Listen up you Jedi witch. I don't know why your powers don't work and I don't care. You are going to do exactly what I say. Blink if you understand, or don't."

Tahiri struggled, but Lees was stronger than she looked, and no matter what she did, Tahiri found the Force obstinately inaccessible for some reason. Without the force helping her, Lees was able to hold her down, barely, but the sleemo won the physical battle. Tahiri willed herself not to panic. She blinked to buy time.

Lees proceeded to whisper in Tahiri's ear. "I can be reasonable, I'll even give you a fighting chance, not that you deserve it. Don't try my patience." She took the hand off of Tahiri's mouth.

The Brunette keeps pushed the the lightsaber butt on Tahiri's neck. "You know, I always wondered if you need to be a Jedi for this to work. How do you activate the thing?" Lees moved the lightsaber in her hands, examining.

"Push the button," Tahiri said. The head of it was pointed straight at Lees's chest. Push it now. Push it now. Lees put the saber into her pocket. "I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out later."

"You had several chances to kill me and you didn't. I know you Jedi are weak like that. You did not exactly handle me with care, did you bounty hunter? Are Jedi allowed to be bounty hunter? Does Luke Skywalker know you are moonlighting? Lees paused, "Did you know it was I who put the bounty on my own head? Just to get away from Makeldan and his ilk. But you ruined everything by going to the Hutt run Bounty Office instead of the one in my employ. I'm still alive so I'm grateful. But nobody treat me like you did and not get punished.

Tahiri started struggling again. But it was no use. Ben was still unconscious on the floor.

"What did you do to him?"

"Oh, nothing, he was already like that when I finally figured out how to get out of that disgusting excuse for a bounty prison." Lees gestured casually to the camouflage bag. "I heard everything. You sweet on him or something? He's cute enough."

Lees stopped smiling, Tahiri's own blaster rifle appeared in her hands, "Enough chitchat. Take your cloak and outercloth off. It's freezing in here. Now, Into the bag, enjoy the smell."

Tahiri put herself inside the camouflaged bag. The inside of the bag smelled of sweat and blood and urine.

The sound of multiple blasters almost started immediately, followed by the smell of charred meat which permeated into the bag. Tahiri felt drops hot liquid on her hair. Fresh blood.

Momentarily Tahiri felt the Force again, but it faded just as fast.

The smell of almonds attacked Tahiri's nostrils, overpowering the disgusting melange of the bag. She tasted bitter bile from the back of her tongue.

Tahiri knew exactly what was happening. She tried to shut down her breathing but it was no use. It was definitely Nytinite, in it's most virule


	8. Chapter 8 Hamelie Mintensega

Chapter VIII Hamelie Mintensega

When the order came from the Supreme Leader to leave the Hanuz system in pursuit of the Resistance cell on the third planet, to move on a so called rescue mission for Starkiller base, Hamelie was against it.

But the order did come from the Supreme Leader, so it must be followed.

She recalled the bombers and the fighters, and gave what she thought of as an inspiring speech about orders and duties, but her heart wasn't in it. The pride of the First Order Navy, the dreadnought Razor's Kiss, modeled on Darth Vader's own Executor, was going on a rescue mission. Hamelie burned with the humiliation whenever she thought about it too much.

In order to get it over with, Hamelie had ordered the engines to full speed, and therefore arrived before the Hamm.

Right into a Resistance ambush.

Right after the shuttle picked up the crazy Kylo Ren, but everyone know truth about that so called Master Ren. Right after the Razor's Kiss picked up that sorry excuse for the Supreme Leader's attack dog, five Resistance Mon Calamari cruisers, dropped out of hyperspace and attacked at the exact moment Razor's Kiss' shield was down to receive the shuttle.

The Resistance fleet was destroyed, but they somehow still found five mon calamari cruisers from somewhere. And the Razor's Kiss was just one ship. A dreadnought, but just one ship.

It's like they knew when the Razor's Kiss would be the most vulnerable. How did the Resistance know that the Razor's Kiss would be involved in the Starbase Killer rescue mission, that it would arrive before the Hamm, and when it would drop its shield?

There was a mole. It was on this ship. At this moment.

After the last of the mon calamari cruiser tried to ram the ship engine in its mad deaththroes, something happened, there was a ship wide loss of memory. By the time everyone came to, they were no longer in the same system. One minute the Razor's Kiss was among the wreckage of the Starkiller base, in a blank of an eye they were in orbit around Jakku.

Then a known Resistance ship joined them in orbit. Daala had ordered firing on it immediately, causing it to crash into the planet below, but not before the Creature was able to send one of his own to board the doomed ship.

Afterwards the Razor's Kiss tried to refuel and have repairs done at the Kuat Drive Yard, but was attacked by the stardestroyers guarding the system.

Attacked by Stardestroyers. Wait till the Supreme Leader hears of this!

When the Razor's Kiss entered The New Republic capital for a simple raid, Hamelie couldn't believe her luck when she found out the system was almost deserted and defenseless. After twenty minutes taking care of the planetary defense platforms, she was faced with some snub fighters, with no enemy cpaital ship anywhere.

Hamelie ordered planetary bombardments even as the dogfights continued all around her ship. She had also ordered a couple of troop platoons to land on the surface. Things were going well until that attack boat came out of nowhere and like the mon calamari cruiser before it, decided to ram her ship. Only this time it wasn't the engines the enemy was after.

What is the Resistance ships and ramming of her ship?

She wasn't on the bridge, or things may have been different. Maybe if she had been there instead of on the secondary bridge at the heart of the ship...

Hamelie's thought was interrupted.

"Admiral Mintensega." The creature was here, the man walked right into her office without ever buzzing her door. "Ship status?"

Hamelie said, "The Bridge was damaged extensively. Basically it's gone. Engine 2 and 7 are still offline. The ship superstructure suffered severe damage to its port side, but starboard suffered superficial damage only. We need a real shipyard to do any meaningful repairs. Fuel is also at only 30 percent. We need to find safe harbor, and soon. Meanwhile I'm more concerned with the loss of the men. Those pilots were the creme of the First Order Navy."

"It goes without saying we lost all of the bridge crew, including your protegee. Captain Daala, her name was?"

"Yes. Master Kylo." Hamelie said. She refused to show any emotion over Natasi, to give such a monster any satisfaction.

"A pity. Such... Potential." The man in the black cape said, "and young woman."

"The prisoner?" Kylo asked.

"Under guard. Captain Haishu is interrogating him." Hamelie said.

"Haishu is a fool. Kylo said, "Leave the prisoner to me."

"Of course, Master Kylo." How dare he question my men. On my ship! "You may find him in holding cell 15 on detention level."

"I will need a new mask. See to it is delivered." Kylo ordered as if Hamelie were a lowly yeoman instead of a grand admiral on her own ship. "deliver it to my quarters, personally."

"Of course Master Kylo." Hamelie said, almost biting the words, it was all she could do to stop shivering. Personally, in his quarters?

"Admiral."

"I trust the standing order is strictly being followed?"

"Yes Master Kylo, All known bounty hunters are being offered the standard fee for Jedi."

"Good," Kylo said, "And one more thing."

"Yes, Master Kylo?"

"Find out why we cannot raise the Supreme Leader. We need his wisdom." The Vader wannabe said, walking away.

You and me both, kid, you and me both.

Hamelie watched Kylo Ren leave the room. The door closed. She clicked buttons on her table.

Moments later Dis'Haish'ulina walked in. "Mr. Haishu. What did you find out about our guest?"

"Several things, Admiral. First, He's Jedi." The Black Chiss said.

"How is that possible?" Hamelie asked, incredulous. "There is no Jedi beside Luke Skywalker!"

"Nevertheless it is true." Haishu said, "I already had my suspicions before Kylo Ren confirmed it as soon as he walked into the cell."

"He's called Tor Lahim, a Jedi master trained by Luke Skywalker." Haishu said, "He didn't want to part with such knowledge, without special persuasion."

"Master," Haishu continued, "Lahim, if I should call him that, also tells me Luke Skywalker has a son."

There was silence, and if Hamelie did her best not to imitate a goldfish.


End file.
